Demonstration kit



Dec. 27,1 949 Filed Oct. 24, 1945 a J v P 5.. 1% JJQ 7 5 1M5 \\.l r W 1! \l m 0? Q 1 9m 5 Mn}. F5 f 1/. 2 a F IN VEN TOR. 27

Patented Dec. 27, 1949 DEMONSTRATION KIT Orville J. Long, Sun Prairie, Wis., and Arthur 0.

Roy, Teaneck, N. J assignors to Quaker Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 24, 1945, Serial No. 624,168 (01. 35-49) 3 Claims.

This invention is directed to new and useful improvements in demonstration kit for showing the efiect of draft on combustion.

The demonstration kit herein described can be used for educational purposes or it may well be used in promoting sales of heating devices wherein the demonstrated advantageous features are present.

Many articles have been published regarding combustion but words and pictures alone cannot impress the student of combustion as efiectively as a simple demonstration in which actual combustion is present at all times and the interfering and helping factors are introduced so that the effect on combustion is actually seen.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a demonstration kit whereby combustion and the factors that affect it are visibly presented so that an observer is quickly taught and quickly grasps the fundamentals of combustion and the eifects of draft thereon.

A further object is to provide such a demonstration kit that is compact and inexpensive so that it may be readily carried by an operator.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a kit whereby the effects of chimney height, flue size, weather, natural draft and mechanical draft on combustion in, for example, an oil burning space heater, can be quickly demonstrated without elaborate preparation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from an examination of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an oil burning lamp slightly modified to be used in the demonstration kit.

Fig. 2 comprises side elevation views of a plurality of attachments of different shapes adapted to be positioned on the chimney of the lamp.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the damper attachment adapted to be removably aflixed to the lamp air intake connection.

Fig. 4: is a side elevation view of a blower attachment also adapted to be removably attached to the lamp air intake connection.

In detail the lamp which is an ordinary oil burning type comprises an oil reservoir l, a wick 2, an air intake 3, a removable lamp chimney 4, and a regulator 5 for adjusting the height of the wick at the burning point during operation.

The air intake 3 is in the form of a tubular conduit for the purposes hereinafter described. The lamp has been modified forthe demonstration kit only in providing this air intake 3. A collar 3a has been secured about the usual air intake. Tubular conduit 3 leads from the outside air inside the collar to provide a means for controllin the amount of air directed to the lamp for combustion. In all other respects the lamp is of common kerosene burning type with no other modification.

Two identical chimney extensions 6 and I are shown in Fig. 2 having enlarged lower ends so as to fit over the upper end of chimney 4 and to fit one on the other to provide a double extension.

Another chimney extension 9 also adapted to be positioned on chimney 4 is of the same length as extension 5 but is provided with an upper portion ill of reduced size.

Attachment II is similar to 9 but is of 'less height.

A damper attachment Fig. 3 consists of a tubular conduit I2 of a size adapted to be fitted on to air intake 3 on the lamp I, having a damper I3 that permits conduit l2 to be open or closed. Operably joined to damper I3 is an indicator arm [4 that may be used for operating damper l3 and that will also indicate the position of the damper. A quadrant shaped plate 15 is secured to conduit l2 to provide an indicating background for arm l4. Stop members 15a extend from plate ii to limit the arm movement to In Fig. 4 is shown a. blower attachment [6, which is a small electric blower of conventional type provided with an outlet conduit I! of a size adapted to fit air intake 3.

The lamp I is similar in operation to any oil space heater because it has its oil reservoir I, burner 2 and means consisting of the wick for supplying oil from the reservoir l to the burner and fuel regulating means 5. Its combustion chamber is the enlarged part of the chimney and its flue is the reduced upper end of the chimney. It likewise has air inlet 3 for furnishing the air necessary for combustion.

To determine the maximum burning capacity of the lamp it is lighted and by means of regulator 5 the wick turned up until the lamp smokes. This indicates its point of maximum oil consumption and consequently its maximum heating capacity under those conditions. The appearance of smoke indicates lack of proper combustion for some reason or another.

To first demonstrate the efiect of draft on combustion the damper attachment of Fig. 3 is positioned on air intake 3 with the damper set in open position as shown by indicator arm It being parallel to conduit H2. The lamp is lighted and Wick adjusted to thehighest point it can burn without smoking. This indicates maximum capacity of lamp under those conditions.

Next the damper I4 is partially closed by o ing indicator arm l5 towards the vertical. Immediately the lamp will smoke which indicates its capacity has been decreased. By reducting the rate of oil consumption, by turning down the wick by means of regulator 5, the smoking will stop but by further closing the damper smoke will again appear. This demonstrates that the amount of air directed to the point of combustion determines the amount of fuel that can be burned and that without adequate draft the heat producing capacity is interfered with. Thus the natural draft of the burner operating with the damper open, or without the damper attachment, permits a definite heating, capacity that is reduced as the natural draft is directly interfered with. One way of reducing the natural draft is by cutting down the capacity of the air intake as just shown, which may be by faulty design of the burner.

Another way in which the capacity and operation of the burner is affected is by chimney height and this is now demonstrated. lighted lamp l without any attachmentis regulated to its maximum capacity, that is to the highest point of the wick without smoking. At

this point extension 6 is positioned on chimney 4. This in fact increases the height of the chimney of the burner. 'It will now be noted that the wick can bemoved to a higher position without smoking thus increasing its heating or burning capacity. When the new high point is reached, beyond which smoking again occurathe extension I is positioned on extension 6 thus again increasing the chimney height. Here again the burner may be turned still higher without smoking. Thus is clearly demonstrated that chimney height increases the burning capacity of. a natural draft heater or burner by increasin the draft follow that three natural draft burners of the same kind located respectively on the first, second, and third floors will all operate differently.

The one on the first floor will have the best operation due to its greater chimney height and the one on the third floor the worst because of its-relatively shorter chimney.

Another factor that affects the operation .of a natural draft burner is the flue size. By lighting the lamp with extension 5 positioned on the chimney the wick is raised to the highest point at which the combustion is clean. Then extension .6 is removed and replaced by 9 whereupon the lamp smokes badly and the fire must be reduced to avoid smoking. Extension 9 represents a flue of less capacity than that of extension 6 and the operation just described demonstrates that as the flue size is reduced the e'fficiency of the burner is reduced because the draft is less and with'less draft the burning capacity is less thus reducing the heating ability of the unit.

The effect of weather on combustion in a natural burner of this type can be shown by the The all)

there is still no effect on the flame.

use of attachment II. It is Well known that as stormy weather approaches the barometer falls and with rain or snow a blanket is figuratively thrown over the chimneys connected to burners in houses. If the lamp I is operated without any attachments at its maximum without smoking and attachment 1 l is then positioned on chimney 4 to indicate the blanketing effect of bad Weather it will immediately begin to smoke and its burning capacity must be reduced to overcome this smoking.

It has thus been demonstrated that the amount of natural draft determines the operating efficiency of a natural draft burner and that many different factors can affect the natural draft. These are the design or capacity of the draft intake of the heater or burner itself, the height of the chimney to which the burner is connected, the size of the flue and the weather. Thus many variable factors may interfere with the proper draft for maximum combustion in a natural draft burner. A given burner or heater operating by natural draft will operate differently in different locations and each installation must be studied by the engineer andcorrected to insure the heater workin at its maximum capacity.

If it can be shown that a change from natural draft to forced or mechanical draft in such a burner will avoid all of these variables and their accompanying problems then certainlysomething has been gained.

The lamp is again lighted and turned to maximum operating point without any attachment. The blower I6 is connected to air intake 3 and the motor energized.

With the blower in operation forcing a constant predetermined amount of draft into thelamp it will be found that the wick maybe raised above the smoke point of its operation as a natural draft burner. Thus withoutfurther change the heating and burning capacity is increased. ,If the blower is turned off the lamp will again smoke. It will be noted that the highest operating point of the burner with the blower ;on is equal to its best performance during-the demonstration as a natural draft burner.

Continuing the blower operation and the burningat maximum, extensions 6 and 1 are positioned on the chimney with no effect upon the burning operation. The flue size is reduced by positioning attachment 9 on the chimney but Likewise attachment 1 l is put on the chimney without in any way reducing the operating efficiency of the lamp and without causing smoking. No reduction of burning capacity is called for although if operating as a natural draft burner :this would be required. The mechanical draft furnished by blower 16 makes the lamp operate uniformly under all conditions that have been shown to vitally affect the operation of the natural draft burner.

To further demonstrate the advantage of a mechanical or artificial draft to aburner of this I type the lamp chimney itself maybe removed without causing the flame to smoke in the least.

Thus has been clearly shown that a given design of burner operating by natural draft is affected in its operation by its draft supply and that there are many different factors affecting the draft supply. Therefore the conclusion that must be reached necessarily is that every natural draft burner presents its own individual problems in operation. It has also been demonstrated that if such aburner isprovided with a mechanical draft creating means it will operate uniformly under all the conditions that seriously affected the operation of the natural draft burner.

Therefore, in addition to learning by seeing that many factors affect the supply of natural draft to a burner, this demonstration kit teaches that the many problems of. draft control and supply presented by natural draft burners are obviated by the use of artificial or mechanical draft constantly supplied to the burner.

It should be noted that the outlet ll of the blower I6 is constructed of a size to fit either air intake 3 or the inlet end of the damper attachment. Thus the blower can be either connected directly to the lamp during demonstration or the damper attachment may be, joined to the lamp and the blower to the damper attachment. It may be more effective at times to leave the damper attachment on the lamp air intake and then position the blower to operate through the draft control instead of directly into the lamp.

It may be desirable to provide a stand for the blower adapted to hold it with outlet conduit H at the same height as air intake 3 to relieve any strain on the lamp or to enable the operator to have full use of his hands during the blower operation. A stand such as shown in Fig. 4 and indicated by reference character I8 may be used having a dowel l9 extending into a socket 20 to support the blower. When the stand is used the lamp is provided with any available supporting means such as a book to hold it so that inlet 3 is at the same height as outlet conduit I! of the blower.

We claim:

1. A kit for demonstrating the relative merits of forced draft and natural draft in combustion of a burner comprising a conventional oil burning lamp having a removable chimney, an air inlet conduit leading from the side of the lamp for directing the natural draft to said lamp, a separate blower adapted to be placed at said inlet conduit optionally for directing a flow of forced draft to said lamp, extensions adapted to be removably positioned on the chimney to successively increase its height and extensions adapted to be removably positioned on the chimney or said other extensions to reduce the chimney outlet size as desired.

Number 2. A kit for demonstrating the relative effects of natural and forced draft in the combustion of oil burner comprising an oil burning lamp having a removable chimney, an air control collar positioned about the lamp and provided with an air inlet, a separate blower adapted to be placed at said inlet when desired to direct a flow of forced draft to said lamp, chimney extensions for successively increasing the chimney height and extension attachments adapted to be removably positioned on the chimney or said other extensions to reduce the size of the chimney outlet as desired.

3. A kit for demonstrating the relative effects of natural and forced draft in the combustion of oil burner comprising an oil burning lamp having a removable chimney, an air control collar positioned about the lamp and provided with a single lateral air inlet, a separate blower adapted to be removably positioned at said air inlet to direct air into said inlet, an attachment for extending the chimney height, and an extension attachment adapted to fit the lamp chimney or the first attachment and having an upper outlet of less capacity than the chimney.

ORVILLE J. LONG. ARTHUR C. ROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Keravenan Oct. 23, 1860 Underwood Apr. 4, 1876 Root Feb. 9, 1886 Ganster July 12, 1887 Ilitz Mar. 13, 1917 Kernaul July 1, 1924 Sleaster Jan. 7, 1930 Jones Apr. 24, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1873 Number 

